Informations

This page provides essential information about how to configure zMenu and understand its configuration philosophy.

Understanding YAMLCopy Anchor Link

zMenu uses YAML (YAML Ain't Markup Language) for all its configuration files. If you're new to YAML, here are some important things to know:

Basic YAML RulesCopy Anchor Link

1. Indentation matters - Use spaces (not tabs) for indentation
2. Consistent spacing - Use 2 spaces per indentation level
3. Case sensitive - Material is different from material
4. Colons need spaces - key: value not key:value

Example StructureCopy Anchor Link

# This is a comment
inventory-name: "My Inventory"    # String value
size: 54                          # Number value
enabled: true                     # Boolean value

items:                            # Start of a section
  my-button:                      # Button name (key)
    slot: 0                       # Property of my-button
    item:                         # Nested section
      material: DIAMOND
      name: "&bDiamond"

Useful ToolsCopy Anchor Link

• YAML Validator: YAML Lint - Check your YAML syntax
• VS Code Extension: YAML by Red Hat - Syntax highlighting and validation
• Notepad++: Lightweight editor with YAML support

Configuration PhilosophyCopy Anchor Link

zMenu follows a modular configuration approach:

File OrganizationCopy Anchor Link

plugins/zMenu/
├── config.yml                 # Global settings
├── global-placeholders.yml    # Shared values
├── commands/                  # Command definitions
│   └── commands.yml
├── inventories/               # Your menus
│   ├── menu1.yml
│   └── subfolder/
│       └── menu2.yml
├── patterns/                  # Reusable templates
├── items/                     # Reusable items
└── actions_patterns/          # Default actions

Key PrinciplesCopy Anchor Link

1. One inventory per file - Each YAML file in inventories/ defines one inventory
2. Subfolders supported - Organize inventories in subfolders
3. Reusability - Use patterns and items to avoid repetition
4. Hot reload - Enable the hot reload and your inventory changes are applied as soon as you save the file, or use /zm reload to apply changes without restart

Color CodesCopy Anchor Link

zMenu supports multiple color code formats:

Legacy Color CodesCopy Anchor Link

Using the & symbol:

Formatting CodesCopy Anchor Link

Hex ColorsCopy Anchor Link

name: "&#FF5555This is red &#55FF55and this is green"

MiniMessage (Paper/Purpur)Copy Anchor Link

If you're using Paper, Purpur, or Pufferfish, you can enable MiniMessage format in config.yml:

enable-mini-message-format: true

Then use MiniMessage syntax:

name: "<gradient:red:blue>Gradient Text</gradient>"
lore:
  - "<rainbow>Rainbow text!</rainbow>"
  - "<bold><gold>Bold gold text</gold></bold>"
  - "<click:run_command:/spawn>Click to spawn</click>"

PlaceholdersCopy Anchor Link

zMenu supports placeholders throughout your configurations:

PlaceholderAPICopy Anchor Link

Any PlaceholderAPI placeholder works in zMenu:

name: "&6%player_name%'s Profile"
lore:
  - "&7Balance: &a$%vault_eco_balance%"
  - "&7Level: &e%player_level%"

zMenu Built-in PlaceholdersCopy Anchor Link

See the Placeholders page for the complete list.

Reloading ConfigurationsCopy Anchor Link

After making changes, reload your configurations:

/zm reload                    # Reload everything
/zm reload config             # Reload config.yml only
/zm reload inventory [name]   # Reload specific inventory
/zm reload command [name]     # Reload specific command

Common MistakesCopy Anchor Link

1. Incorrect IndentationCopy Anchor Link

# Wrong
items:
my-button:
  slot: 0

# Correct
items:
  my-button:
    slot: 0

2. Missing Quotes for Special CharactersCopy Anchor Link

# Wrong - will cause parsing error
name: &6My Menu

# Correct
name: "&6My Menu"

3. Tab CharactersCopy Anchor Link

YAML doesn't allow tabs. Always use spaces:

# Wrong (tabs)
items:
→ my-button:
→ → slot: 0

# Correct (spaces)
items:
  my-button:
    slot: 0

4. Duplicate KeysCopy Anchor Link

# Wrong - second 'slot' overwrites first
my-button:
  slot: 0
  slot: 1

# Correct
my-button:
  slot: 0
another-button:
  slot: 1

File EncodingCopy Anchor Link

Always save your files with UTF-8 encoding to properly support:

• Special characters
• Non-English text
• Color codes

Most modern text editors use UTF-8 by default, but check your editor's settings if you experience issues with special characters.

Next StepsCopy Anchor Link

Now that you understand the basics:

1. Learn about Commands & Permissions
2. Explore available Placeholders
3. Create your first inventory